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Bronny James showed his flair for the dramatics in his first meeting against his father’s alma mater, knocking St. Vincent-St.Mary off with a game-winning bucket.
This time around, no such dramatics were needed for James and Sierra Canyon team to defeat the Ohio powerhouse.
James poured in 19 points as Sierra Canyon rolled to a 71-53 win in front of a star-studded Staples Center crowd in the Chosen-1’s invitational. LeBron James sat courtside, while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul also took in the high-profile matchup.
Sierra Canyon jumped out to a double-digit first quarter lead and never looked back, going up by 21 points at halftime. That lead grew to 25 midway through the third quarter and although St. Vincent-St. Mary eventually trimmed its deficit to 51-34, it was far too much for the Fighting Irish to ultimately overcome.
Sierra Canyon received standout performances from Ramel Lloyd Jr. and Kijani Wright, who stepped up and delivered with five-star UCLA commit Amari Bailey out of the lineup with a sprained ankle. Lloyd Jr. and Wright both scored 15 points, with Wright starting the game with an emphatic dunk to set the tone.
The manner in which James scored his 19 demonstrated the growth of his game since he first played St. Vincent-St. Mary in 2019. Instead of relying on his athleticism to beat defenders, James displayed a smooth three-point stroke and thrived in transition — much like his father — with strong finishes at the rim.
With James seemingly taking his game to the next level early this season, Sierra Canyon is in an even better position to dominate in 2021-22 than it was before the year began. Once Bailey returns, Sierra Canyon will have a chance to stamp itself as the top in the nation.